Alex Sobel has done ‘crucial work to secure the votes we needed in time,’ according to the Member of Parliament who brought forward the bill to extend article 50.
Yvette Cooper, praised the Leeds MP who has been working closely with leading backbenchers across the House for many months to avert a No-Deal Brexit and ensure MPs can have a vote on our future relationship with Europe.
Alex worked with Yvette Cooper on previous No Deal amendments in a small team. When Ms Cooper tabled the Bill to secure an extension on Tuesday 2nd April, it was Alex who convened the meeting of MPs to help work with opposition whips to guide the Bill through.
The Bill was debated in the commons all day on 3rd April, only passing the subsequent vote by one.
On Monday 8th April it was given Royal Assent.
Reporting on the work to get the bill through Yvette Cooper said, "We came really close to the brink of a No Deal crisis that would have hit jobs, public services and overstretched families across Yorkshire. Alex has been a key member of the team that worked to get my Bill through Parliament, to prevent No Deal and provide the legal underpinnings of an Article 50 extension instead. Because of the difficult circumstances, everyone had to act swiftly and Alex did crucial work to secure the votes we needed in time."